Beaufort Gyre Observing System Data (BGOSD)

In order to explore our hypothesis concerning the accumulation and release of freshwater in the Beaufort Gyre (see Overview- Background), our investigation consists of a combination of three approaches: observations, historical data analysis and synthesis, and modeling. The major goal of the observational program is to determine the variability of different components of the BG fresh water (ocean and sea ice) system and to assess the partial concentrations of fresh water of different origin (rivers, Pacific Ocean, precipitation, ice/snow melt, etc). Using moorings, drifting buoys, shipboard, and remote sensing measurements we have been measuring time series of temperature, salinity, currents, geochemical tracers, sea ice draft, and sea level since August 2003, to determine freshwater content and freshwater fluxes in the BG during a complete seasonal cycle and beyond. The moorings will precisely measure the variations of the vertical distribution of freshwater content and sea ice draft at representative locations (see Methods - Instruments). The hydrographic sections will examine the variation by radius from the center of the BG. The remote sensing program will characterize the variability of the sea ice thickness and sea surface height horizontal structure.